Saturday, October 25, 2014

School Board Races

Natasha Murray is exactly what the Fayette County school board District 4 needs.
She
has dedicated her time and public service to strengthen our community.
Her collaboration with local, state and national leaders brings positive
results.

She established two Augustus F. Hawkins literacy
centers in the Lexington and Louisville areas to enhance the reading
achievement of students in their areas.

The current school board
should be audited and publicly evaluated on their ability to meet our
needs, and questioned on how they plan to move the district forward.

I
urge voters to join many others on Nov. 4 as it is time for a change.
No longer can our district afford to be tied up in personal conflicts.
Our students, schools and community need a leader who can bring positive
change to our district.

I have waited to respond to Joel
Pett's Aug. 26 cartoon until Auditor Adam Edelen released his findings
so that, unlike Pett, I might comment on facts. His tasteless,
inaccurate portrayal of Fayette County Public Schools board member
Amanda Ferguson was not factual.

Having known her since she was a
student in my class at Maxwell Elementary, and as a member of my church,
she has always been an intelligent, level-headed person desiring to
contribute to society.

As a parent of three in the FCPS, she
should be admired for giving her time, asking questions and demanding
adequate information before voting on important issues. The auditor's
report substantiated her concerns.

Pett's charge that she's
interested in herself and not kids was especially offensive. Why else
would she put herself in a position to take abuse from him and others
who disagree with her?

Natasha Murray is a
compassionate, highly involved parent who cares about her community. She
would represent constituents of the Fayette County school board,
District 4, with integrity, leadership and enthusiasm.

I have
watched her efforts to inspire and inform parents to become better CEOs
of their children's educational experience. Her professionalism and
result-driven approach will bring a new and fresh focus to the school
board.

As a concerned parent, I am assured that she has the
knowledge, skills and experience to work with the district leadership
and her board colleagues to do what is in the best interest of all
children.

She has created a visible presence in the community
along with endorsements from the Central Kentucky Building and
Construction Trade Council, the Herald-Leader, and Teamsters Local 651.

I invite Lexington voters in the 40502, 40508, 40515 and 40517 ZIP codes to elect Murray.

I would appreciate your vote for my re-election as the 4th District member of the Fayette County Board of Education.

As
I have been for nearly eight years, I will remain an advocate for all
of my constituents — representing the best interests of our students and
the community, insisting on good governance and accountability, and
seeking to ensure the wise use of district resources so that every
student in our district will be able to succeed.

I promise to
continue as a voice for those who feel they have not been heard —
students, parents, teachers, support professionals, administrators or
concerned citizens. I have lived within this district nearly my entire
life, attending Maxwell, Morton, and Henry Clay. In addition to my
service on the school board, I have been involved with the school system
for more than 11 years as a PTA member and officer, volunteer and
tutor, and my three children currently attend Ashland, Morton, and Henry
Clay.

My parents instilled in me a lifelong love of education
and learning, inspiring me to obtain a B.A. degree in psychology from
the University of Kentucky and an M.A. degree in psychology from
Vanderbilt University, and ultimately leading me to take on the
challenging role of school board member.

Over the last several
months, I have received tremendous support from our community and have
been strongly encouraged to seek a third term.

I firmly believe that my work on the board is not yet complete and humbly ask for your vote.

I
am grateful for the editorial board's recognition of my service to the
children of Lexington and am honored by its recognition of my
questioning the wisdom of certain budget cuts championed by our
superintendent.

I am dismayed by the criticism of my encouraging school employees to present allegations of mismanagement to the board.

Had
the budget director not publicly disclosed her allegations, the
community would have never known about material financial information
being misrepresented to the school board, the lack of transparency in
increasing administrative salaries, the misuse of the Mary Stoner Trust
for bureaucratic travel rather than for directly benefiting our
students, or the intentional circumvention of board policies to
financially benefit certain vendors. As columnist Tom Eblen recognized,
most "of the problems the auditor found related to finance and
management."

Any type of "chronic mismanagement" of our kids'
money is reprehensible, especially when teachers from high-poverty area
schools are asking for money online to purchase basic supplies for
classrooms. I will continue to seek accountability.

I am proud to
have defeated devastating financial cuts to band, music, orchestra, the
arts and special education. I am proud to support the establishment of a
new elementary school for District 2, STEAM and Carter G. Woodson
Academy.

I will work for the proper use of trust funds to
enhance the educational experiences of all children, especially those
schools which serve lower-income neighborhoods. I am a proven advocate
for teachers and for all kids. I ask for your continued support on Nov.
4.

KSN&C

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Why This Blog?

So far as we know, we only get one lifetime. So, when I "retired" in 2004, after 31-years in public education I wanted to do something different. I wanted to teach, write and become a student again. I have since spent a decade in higher ed.

I have listened to so many commentaries over the years about what should be done to improve Kentucky's schools - written largely by folks who have never tried to manage a classroom, run a school, or close an achievement gap. I came to believe that I might have something to offer.

I moved, in 1985, from suburban northern Kentucky to what was then the state’s flagship district - Fayette County. I have had a unique set of experiences to accompany my journey through KERA’s implementation. I have seen children grow to graduate and lead successful lives. I have seen them go to jail and I have seen them die. I have been amazed by brilliant teachers, dismayed by impassive bureaucrats, disappointed by politicians and uplifted by some of Kentucky’s finest school children. When I am not complaining about it, I will attest that public school administration is critically important work.

Democracy is run by those who show up. In our system of government every citizen has a voice, but only if they choose to use it.

This blog is totally independent; not supported or sponsored by any institution or political organization. I will make every effort to fully cite (or link to) my sources. Please address any concerns to the author.

On the campaign trail...with my wife Rita

An action shot: The Principal...as a much younger man.

Faculty Senate Chair

Serving as Mace Bearer during the Inauguration of Michael T. Benson as EKU's 12th president.

Teaching

EDF 203 in EKU's one-room schoolhouse.

Professin'

Lecturing on the history of Berea College to Berea faculty and staff, 2014.

Faculty Regent

One in a long series of meetings. 2016

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